Suffered from complications after receiving a Cartiva Synthetic Cartilage Implant? Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers can represent you in a lawsuit.
Lawsuits allege that the Cartiva toe implant received a fast-tracked FDA approval. They allege the rate of Cartiva implant failures is much higher than claimed. Lawsuits claim that Stryker knew that the Cartiva toe implants had a high failure rate. They claim Stryker failed to warn about this and failed to recall the product.
Have you suffered complications after a Cartiva toe implant failure? You may qualify for financial compensation for medical bills and lost wages. You may receive money for pain, suffering and more in a Cartiva toe implant lawsuit. Our experienced lawyers have been handling defective medical device cases since 1990. We have the experience and know-how to take on medical device manufacturers and win.
Call our Cartiva implant lawyers today for a free consultation or text us from this page. You can also fill out the free case evaluation form on this page. We will not charge any fee to represent you until and unless we recover money for you in a Cartiva lawsuit.
Do I Qualify For A Cartiva Implant Lawsuit?
You may qualify for financial compensation in a Cartiva lawsuit if:
- You received a Cartiva implant
- The implant failed
- You experienced complications such as severe pain. Complications may include the need for toe fusion surgery or replacement surgery. Complications may include the need for an Arthrosurface implant, or other complications
What Compensation Can A Cartiva Implant Lawyer Help Me Recover?
Have you experienced complications after your Cartiva implant failed? You may qualify for financial compensation for:
- Medical bills: You are likely facing medical expenses if your Cartiva implant failed. You may have required treatments such as extra surgeries. You may also face medical bills in the future due to the implant failing. You might recover money for any past and future medical bills related to the implant failure.
- Lost wages: You might have had to miss time from work because your Cartiva implant failed. The failure may have left you unable to work. You might have had to miss work to attend medical appointments. You may be eligible for compensation for any wages you were unable to earn due to the device failure.
- Loss of earning capacity: You might no longer be able to work, or do the work you used to, because of your implant failure. If this is the case, you might qualify for compensation for loss or reduction of earning capacity.
- Pain and suffering: A Cartiva implant failure can cause physical pain. Having to go through extra surgeries can result in a lot of emotional suffering. You might recover money for any pain and suffering that result from the implant failure.
- Wrongful death: Implant failures can lead to infections, which can kill. Implant failures can also lead to the need for extra surgery. Death is always a risk when using general anesthesia. Have you lost a loved one because their Cartiva implant failed? You may qualify for compensation for the loss of your loved one’s income. You may recover money for the loss of their love and companionship. You may recover money for your loved one’s medical bills, pain and suffering. You may recover money for their burial costs and funeral costs.
What Is A Cartiva Implant?
Cartiva implants are cylindrical implants. They get placed into the first metatarsophalangeal joint, or big toe joint. They are implants which treat big toe arthritis. They are synthetic cartilage.
A hole gets drilled into the metatarsal head and then the Cartiva implant gets placed into the hole.
Cartiva implant lawsuits claim that the design of the Cartiva implant is incorrect. They claim it relies on “hard-on-soft” and “hard-on-hard” interactions. rather than the “soft-on-soft” interactions which happen in real cartilage. Cartiva lawsuits also claim that the hydrogel used in the implant could be better. They claim Stryker could produce a more stable and suitable material.
Was The Cartiva Implant’s FDA Approval ‘Fast Tracked?’
The FDA approved Cartiva as a Class III device. This approval, though, hinged on “substantial equivalence.” This means the implant worked as well as the gold standard of big toe arthritis treatment. That gold standard is arthrodesis, or fusion surgery. In fusion surgery, the metatarsal and phalangeal bones get fused together. This prevents the patient from moving their big toe. It also eliminates the patient’s arthritis pain, though.
The implant got approved based on a study involving 202 subjects. That study found that Cartiva implantation led to functional outcomes. It found it led to equal pain relief when compared to fusion surgery. Cartiva toe implant lawsuits claim, though, that this study has not been replicated. They claim it utilized too small of a sample size. Cartiva implant failure lawsuits allege that device approval based on “substantial equivalence” is usually reserved for Class II devices. They claim that such an approval evades full safety reviews by the FDA.
Has There Been A Cartiva Implant Recall?
Stryker has not recalled the Cartiva implant. Lawsuits, though, claim Stryker should have already recalled the implant. They claim this because of indications that the implants have a very high failure rate.
How Long Does Cartiva Implant Last?
Cartiva implants are designed to last for a lifetime. Lawsuits allege, though, that this is far from the case.
Lawsuits allege that the Cartiva implants have a high failure rate. Why does the Cartiva implant fail? Lawsuits allege the implants fail due to implant shrinkage. They allege they fail due to lysis and erosion of bone around the implant. According to lawsuits, a 2020 study found that 64 percent of Cartiva implant patients experienced implant shrinkage within four weeks of the surgery. 79 percent of them had implant shrinkage at their final follow-up.
The study also found that:
- 57 percent of patients had radiologic lucency near the Cartiva implant
- 40 percent of patients experienced erosion at the big toe’s proximal phalanx
- 43 percent reported they experienced no improvement in pain at their last follow-up
- 20 percent of patients needed another surgery
- Patients had radiologic subsidence and bone disintegration around their implants
- Patients experienced proximal phalynx countersurface erosion
- Patients experienced wear and tear of their implants
Lawsuits allege that Stryker should have recalled the Cartiva implant. They claim this because Stryker was aware of studies such as the 2020 study. That study found that 79 percent of patients experienced implant shrinkage. Lawsuits also claim Stryker should have warned about the high implant failure rate. They claim Stryker failed to despite knowing about it.
There have been over 230 reports submitted to the MAUDE database about Cartiva. Most of these reports are about loosening of the implant. Lawsuits claim that when a Cartiva implant fails, it is usually when the implant shrinks.
The Foot and Ankle Institute found that when a Cartiva big toe joint implant fails, it tends to result in the implant slipping down into bone.
What Are Cartiva Implant Failure Symptoms?
Symptoms of a Cartiva implant failure include:
- A decrease in range of motion
- An increase in pain
- The surgery never relieves the arthritis pain
- Inflammation and swelling
- Tenderness and redness
- Feeling unstable when walking or standing
Is There A Cartiva Implant Class Action Lawsuit?
A class action lawsuit has not yet been filed about the Cartiva implant as of May 8, 2023.
You may receive far more money by filing an individual lawsuit instead of a class action lawsuit.
Call us today for a free consultation. We can discuss if it is best for you to file an individual lawsuit or a class action lawsuit.
What Allegations Have Been Raised In Cartiva Implant Lawsuits?
Lawsuits seek to recover compensation for those who have suffered failures of Cartiva implants. They allege that Stryker:
- Designed and sold a defective implant which is unreasonably dangerous.
- Failed to accurately confirm the amount of wear and tear of Cartiva implants.
- Failed to perform adequate research into Cartiva implants’ life expectancy.
- Failed to do a recall of the Cartiva implant after knowing of its high failure rate.
- Failed to perform a proper investigation into post-market reports. Those reports were about problems with the Cartiva implant.
- Put profits before patients’ safety
How Much Does It Cost To Hire A Cartiva Implant Lawyer?
Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers is a contingency fee law firm. This means that we do not charge our clients a fee until and unless we get a financial recovery for them. In other words, no fee is charge until and unless we win your case. You will never owe us an upfront fee or any money out of your own pocket.
The only fee we charge is a percentage of whatever money we recover for you. We don’t charge a fee if we don’t recover money for you.
What Can Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers Do For Me?
To recover money in a defective medical device lawsuit like a Cartiva lawsuit, you need to prove that:
- The device was defective
- You got injured
- You got injured because the device was defective
To prove these things, we will perform a thorough investigation of your case. We will collect many different kinds of evidence for you to support your case. This evidence possibly includes:
- Expert testimony
- Complaints from consumers
- Product literature
- Testimony from patients
- Scientific studies
- Evidence of the device’s testing before sale
- Documents showing Stryker knew the Cartiva implant was defective before selling it
- Product design analysis
- Analysis of industry standards
- Medical expenses
You don’t need to handle the stressful process of filing a lawsuit on your own. You especially don’t need to while you’re recovering from your injuries. We will handle every step of your case for you. This includes filing a lawsuit and negotiating a settlement. This includes, if necessary, representing you in court. Most of our cases settle out of court, though. This is because of our reputation for success. We fight tenaciously for our clients. Medical device manufacturers such as Stryker know that when we take someone on in court, we win. They know it’s a waste of their time and money to take us on in court.
We will represent you aggressively and help protect your legal rights after your Cartiva implant failure. We work alongside experienced medical researchers. We do this to make sure you’re kept up to date about the newest, most precise information. We will make sure you receive battle-tested advocacy. We will help you hold Stryker responsible for your implant complications.
Call us today so we can handle every step of your case for you while you recover from your injuries. We will do whatever is needed to protect your interests. We will help you receive justice and fair, fair compensation.
How Do I File A Cartiva Implant Lawsuit?
Have you or a loved one experienced complications after the failure of a Cartiva implant? Call us today for a free consultation. Our experienced lawyers can file a lawsuit against Stryker on your behalf. It will seek financial compensation for medical expenses. It will seek compensation for pain and suffering, lost wages and more.
Have you been injured by a defective Cartiva implant? You need lawyers whose focus is helping injury victims, lawyers like Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers. Helping injury victims is our primary focus.
Let us hold Stryker accountable for selling a defective product. Let us recover for you the justice and compensation you deserve. Call us today for a free case review.
Cartiva Implant Lawsuit Updates
July 1, 2026 Update
Attorneys in the Cartiva toe implant litigation will meet with the judge overseeing the litigation in August. They will work out how to proceed as well as propose plans regarding the selection and organization of lawyers in leadership positions.
Cartiva Inc. is facing at least 15 lawsuits over its synthetic cartilage implant.
May 18, 2026 Update
A lawsuit filed on May 7 in Idaho by an Idaho woman alleges her Cartiva toe implant failed, leading to a need for big toe fusion revision surgery.
The lawsuit names Stryker B.V., Wright Medical Group N.V. and Cartiva Inc. as defendants.
The lawsuit alleges that the implant was defectively designed, leading to a failure causing cyst formation and bone loss, leaving the woman unable to have a replacement implant implanted.
The lawsuit claims the woman had the device implanted in November 2020 after experiencing increasing big toe pain. It is alleged that she and her doctor chose this implant because of claims it would prevent mobility issues associated with big toe fusion.
The lawsuit alleges the device did not provide her with enough flexibility to do activities requiring her to be on her toes and flexible, and that she started having chronic instability issues with the toe, leading to numerous falls, leading to tailbone and rib injuries.
The lawsuit also claims the woman started experiencing right knee pain because of the way the implant changed her gait.
By December 2025, according to the complaint, the woman was informed by a doctor the implant had failed and that she needed big toe fusion surgery since she had lost too much bone for a replacement implant to work.
February 10, 2026 Update
Every federal Cartiva toe lawsuit is to be consolidated in front of a single federal judge in Arkansas for the coordination of pretrial proceedings and discovery, while additional lawsuits continue getting filed.
The Cartiva Synthetic Cartilage Implant is an implant designed to treat degenerative arthritis in the big toe. The device was recalled in October 2024 due to high failure rates.
Device failures often require revision surgery for the removal of the implant, and, because of this, Cartiva is now facing an increasing number of lawsuits filed by patients who have experienced complications from device failure.
In approving the formation of a federal MDL, a panel of judges noted that the lawsuits share common questions of fact in terms of:
- Causation
- Product testing
- How sufficient the product’s labeling is
- Cartiva’s representations to the Food and Drug Administration during the approval process for the device
- The circumstances surrounding the recall
The panel also noted that consolidation of the lawsuits into an MDL will serve the convenience of the witnesses and parties as well as conserve judicial resources.
December 30, 2025 Update
A federal judges’ panel, in late January, will hear oral arguments over the consolidation of every Cartiva toe lawsuit before a single judge for pretrial proceedings.
Late October saw numerous plaintiffs file a petition via the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) which called for a Cartiva toe lawsuit MDL to be created. This would assign a single judge to oversee pretrial proceedings and coordinated discovery for every claim filed in federal court around the country. This petition argued that all of the lawsuits share almost identical allegations, and that consolidating them into an MDL would end up preventing conflicting rulings.
Cartiva Inc., on November 21, urged the JPML to reject the petition, arguing that consolidation would lead to additional lawsuits and not help the litigation’s efficiency.
The JPML will hear arguments on centralization on January 29, 2026 in San Diego, CA. The panel is expected to decide on whether to consolidate the lawsuits into an MDL shortly after this hearing.
November 6, 2025 Update
Those who have experienced issues with the Cartiva big toe implants have asked federal judges to form a federal MDL for the Cartiva litigation.
The plaintiffs are arguing that all cases concern common questions of facts, the number of cases will likely keep growing, and consolidation would be convenient for witnesses and parties.
If an MDL is formed, all current as well as future claims would be transferred before a single judge.
September 17, 2025 Update
The Cartiva big toe implant’s manufacturers have agreed to a mediation with a man from Pennsylvania. The man claims the device’s design is defective, and that this caused his device to fail, leaving him with ongoing mobility issues.
In February, the man filed a lawsuit alleging that the manufacturer concealed evidence that the device failed in almost two-thirds of cases, while marketing the device as effective and safe.
According to a September 4 court document, the man and Cartiva have agreed to try to settle the lawsuit through mediation prior to the case proceeding to trial.
The first mediation session is scheduled for March 12, 2026.
The agreement comes as speculation grows that several other Cartiva lawsuits have been resolved quietly as of late or settled out of court.
August 14, 2025 Update
A lawsuit filed on August 8 in Pennsylvania by a Pennsylvania woman alleges that she developed nerve damage and bone loss in her big toe due to a Cartiva implant.
The lawsuit alleges that numerous surgeries led to the toe losing mobility and being fused, the opposite of the intended purpose of the implant.
The woman received the implant in December 2019, and by August 2021, it had allegedly failed.
The woman allegedly needed an implant removal surgery the next month, and then needed another surgery in March 2023 because of a failure of the previous surgery and a screw fracture.
The lawsuit indicates the woman didn’t learn that these issues were possibly the result of a product defect until October 2024, alleging this is because Cartiva intentionally hid adverse FDA investigation data.
The lawsuit claims that while the manufacturer claimed the device had a 13.5 percent failure rate, in reality, a 2020 study showed it had a failure rate of 64 percent.
August 1, 2025 Update
The first Cartiva trial has gotten postponed until August 2026. A federal judge has granted a joint request for extension of pretrial proceedings. The parties have been ordered to go through settlement talks during the next year to explore claim resolution.
The first trial was scheduled to start on February 9, 2026. It involved a claim that after the plaintiff had a Cartiva toe implanted in April 2022, she needed it removed in October 2024 after experiencing restricted range of motion and severe pain.
The trial has been postponed to give the parties additional time to prepare their cases.
The court has ordered the parties to conclude mediated settlement talks at least 30 days prior to a pretrial conference which is set for July 22, 2026.
June 30, 2025 Update
Following a number of Cartiva lawsuits which were recently filed being voluntarily withdrawn, speculation has once again emerged that the toe implant’s manufacturer might have reached agreements to settle some claims, or possibly enter into tolling agreements.
Two cases are still on track to see juries this year, though. The cases involve claims that the device is defective and unreasonably dangerous.
On May 20, a lawsuit brought a mere three months prior was voluntarily withdrawn without prejudice. This gives the plaintiff an ability to refile the lawsuit in the future. According to that lawsuit, a Cartiva implant immediately led to increased pain and a decrease in range of motion, and it was later found that the implant failed.
On June 2, a lawsuit filed in March was voluntarily withdrawn. The lawsuit alleged that the toe implant led to a decrease in range of motion and an increase in pain, and that it was later found that the implant failed.
The first Cartiva trial is scheduled to begin on October 28. This case involves a claim that a Cartiva implant failed, leading to a need for removal surgery. The lawsuit claims that the manufacturer knew about a minimum of 144 adverse events related to failing or loosening of implants prior to the implantation in his body.
April 13, 2025 Update
A lawsuit was filed on March 31 by an Illinois man in Illinois who alleges that his Cartiva toe implant failed, leading to increased pain and lessened range of motion.
A doctor eventually recommended that the implant get removed, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges that the product’s manufacturer knew about this issue for years, yet intentionally hid complication risks from patients and federal regulators.
February 19, 2025 Update
A lawsuit was filed in Pennsylvania on February 7 by a Pennsylvania man who alleges that his Cartiva SCI big toe implant failed, causing him to lose his ability to have an active lifestyle and leaving him with toe movement which is restricted.
The lawsuit alleges that Cartiva, Inc. was aware that the toe implants have a design defect and fail about two-thirds of the time, yet continued selling the devices until October 2024, when a recall was issued.
The lawsuit claims the man received implants in November 2018 and November 2019, and was told the implants would last for 10 to 15 years. The man, however, is experiencing lost mobility and has had to adapt to less range of motion, leading to increased foot wear and tear, restricted the types of shoes the man can wear, and restricted the recreational activities he can participate in.
